FREE-FOR-ALL FRI 9/11

9/11

"Remembering the events of 9/11 as well as hearing daily news of conflict that heightens alarms serves to remind me of my own propensity to allow fear to rule my life. And while it is a natural response in the face of danger, too often it rules my life and narrows my vision.

"What do my fears say about my faith or lack thereof? Often our lives bear more witness to what we are afraid of, rather than to the assurances on which faith rests. Oh, there are real fears—situations, issues, and trends—that keep us all awake at night. The issue is not the absence of fear, but whether or not we are building the way we live on a memorial to fear, or a memorial to trust. Indeed, as one who claims to be a follower of Jesus, is my posture toward the world one of fear or faith? The epistle of John encourages me as I strive to build a life on faith: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out all fear.”(1)

"This is a particularly poignant reminder as I think about all those who ran into the buildings to save others, rather than run away; or those who took heroic action on one of the hijacked planes, even as it plummeted to the earth. The way of faith doesn’t always lead to safety, but it surely leads to life. Sometimes with a similar cost, Christians around the world walk towards a savior who walked toward a cross. They walk toward Jesus, who set his face toward Jerusalem, toward death itself for the sake of the world, who offered a way toward faith, a love stronger than fear."

Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity